Automatic check-stop



p 4, 1943. H. BENDON ET AL 2,329,240"

' AUTOMATIC CHECK-STOP Filed April 15, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 P... ;L m

INVENTORS weer as/vpa/v p 1943- H. BENDON ETAL 2,329,

AUTOMATIC CHECK: STOP Filed April 15, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 i i E w A l' ATTORNEYS. v

' Sept. 14, W13. H. BENDON ETAL ,3 I

AUTOMATIC crmcx-s'ror mm April 15, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS I" HARE) ammo/v gwxw/w Iv. ML'MEW/MEW ain: Md cw ATTORNEY'3 I ing our invention;

anism;

Patented Sept. 14,1943

II I 2,329,2'401;If I I: II 'AU'rOMATIC CHE CK 'roP' if I I Harry 'Bendon; Yeadon, andj-H arry UN... McMeni men, Philadelphia, Pa.;-

I to said 'McMenimen saianenutaa si ntr imitation rr fia-19Qsera1 no. 459,146;

* 5 ClairhshdClIA-?1;; I I I I Fig; 1a i'sqan isometric view'of the main shaft f and the 'attachments thereon; and i Our-invention relates generally to toilets'e ats, and in particular, to a toilet seatlocking mechanism.

The main object of our invention isto provide atoilet-seat, and a housing therefor withinwhic'h housing the seat is disposed. and subjected to germicidal rays while not in use, and pedally-actuated means to swing-the seat out of the housing'into positionfor use; and means to stop-lock the seat in its outswung position. I. 1

Anotherobject of our invention is to provide means, after the seat has been used, to automatically return the seat into its casing."

I Fig. 14 is'an isometric view of the base bracket component of 'the'as'sembly;

'Our device; as a 'wholeycomprises a toilet seat Hi, an "enclosing casing 12 open'at the front to receive the seat'w'ithin the-casing, and-a seat stop-lock I mechanism indicated generallyby" the reference numeral l4. The'seat, casingand'lock- 10.

ing mechanism are assembledinto a single unit for mounting on'toilet bowl T."

Further objects of our invention will ,in part,

be obvious and in part pointed out specifically; in

connection with the following description of an illustrative embodiment of our invention; II In the drawingsanneiged hereto, forming a =parthereof: I I

Figure 1 is afront elevational View of-oneform of device constructed according'to and embody- Fig. 2 is a side elevationalview thereofj I Fig. 3 is ahorizontal cross section alongthea; line3-3ofFig.1;"

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross section along thetline Casing [2 ma' be of any desired size and'shape,

stamped or otherwise formedof light gauge-metal or other suitablematerial. Within casing'lZ, 'we

m'o'un't anfultra violet ray cylindrical tube 16,

which isfso wired as to be'energ'ized via a mercury' switch Swhen seat l ispivoted to vertical positioninsidecasing l2. "The-ultra =violetrays -,F1 5-is an e nd elevationalview bf theftoilet seat stop-lock mechanism (as seen in plan in ofthe Various parts of the stop-lock mechanism when'theseat is in partially depressed or open' position I Fig.7 is aview similar lid-Figs. Sand 6 show- 1 ing the position of the. parts of the locking mechanism when the seat is in its final depressed position; g g

Fig; 8 is a similar view showing the position of the parts of the locking mechanism when the seat starts'its pivoting movement backinto the casing.v

Fig. 9. is apart sectional .view alongtheline I I I of heavymaterial, and is of suchlengtl'ras'to be 9-9 of Fig. 5, and part front-;elevational.view

of the stop-lock mechanism; I

Fig. 10 is a vertical cross-section along the line I 0-! 0 of Fig. 12 Showing the return buiTer mech- Fig. 11 is a detail showing-the mount of the sub-shaft component of the'lockingdevice on the base bracket;

Fig. 12 isa part plan and part horizontalsection along the line 12,-12' 1' Fig. 1;

have been found to exercise-a germicidal'action, I

and the play of the-rays o'verthe'seat will beeffective to' sanitize the same. a reflector plate 18 is disposed Within the rear of easing" l2, to' reflect the ultra violet rays ethan ating from'tube l6 over the entire surfacefof the seat In." zseat lfland switch S are both mounted for pivotal movement with the shaft on which the seat is mounted. I Thus, when the seatis swung down out ofthe casing, the mercurywithin theswitch'is slidawayfrom the contact points i and the circuit is broken: and the tube I 6 deenergized. When seat [0 is swung-back into casing -I2, the=mercury flows down over the contacts, I

' the'circuit is remade and the tube is energized again,

Weprovide, a basebracket member 20, formed asby casting, stamping or otherwiseof suitable materiaL-ihaving a pair of' deep'iend recesses-22. '24, connectediby a heavy bridge member 26. -Recesss 22, 24'extend downwardly andv forwardly 'ofthebrid'ge Z6, and the inner opposing walls .2'1, 21 thereofare semi-circularly notched,-as "at T28, 28"to receivetherewithinlthe shaft 30' which seat. i0 is pivotally mounted. I

Shaft :ldwcircular in .-;cross-section, is formed received inside bracket 28," the ends'of theshaft fitting within the end recesses 22, 24.- At the 22-. I

' 'endof shaft"3li, a heavy'coil spring 32 isse'cured ed to a pin 36 mountd'o'ri'an'd projecting 'out from a side wall of recess 2Zf j fIhe Inorma b g o said spring is such as to retard pivotal move- As'seen in Fig. 3, v

.:the casing.

ment of shaft 30 away from casing I2, and any pivotal movement of shaft 30' (with' seat I2 thereon) is effected against the normal tensioning of coil spring 32. Thus, as seat I is swung out of the casing, tension is built up in spring 32.

An eccentric cam 40 is fixedly mounted on shaft 30 and projecting upwardly therefrom (see Figs. 10 and 13),, which cam has formedthereon a curved edge 42 onthe side thereof facing, the rearwall 44 of recess 22, and on said wall 44 and in line with cam 40, we mount an outwardly bowed spring leaf 46. Cam 40 is so mounted on shaft 30 that the cammed edge 42 bearsjdirectly against spring 46 when seat I0 is ,vertically disposed inside the casing. When the-seatjispivoted down out of easing I2, the curved cam edge 42 is borne away from and out of contact with spring leaf 46. However, as seat. I0 is swung upe wardly back into the casing pivoting. .Shaft 30 J10 downwardlmand via link. I8 imparts counter- ,clockwise rotation to'cam.I0 about the axis of shaft 30', rotating shaft 30 along with it to swing seat I0 out of the housing. A check stop member I20 is mounted upwards of the rear wall I22 of recess 24, the front end I24 of which projecting out fromthe wall is provided with a roller I26 on the underside thereof in line with cam I0. A

',bent 'spr ing:1e,af I28 is also mounted upwardly of wall I22, bearing against the top of stop I20,

.. normally biasing or urging stop I towards cam and turning cam 40 along with it, the cammed 20 v.edge bears against spring leaf 46 with-pom stantly increasing pressure due; to the curvature of c ed e win un ha ater-p pi ot movement, and exercising a- --,d amping or buffer .action 'againsttoo quicka return of seat -I0.into

.casing I2. Thus, we provide coil1spring 32 to prevent too fast outward pivotal movement of ;-s eat; t0,; and can1:40; and spring leaf-46 to prevent too fast return movement of the .seat :back; into A pair of laterally- ;apertured spacedbearing ;-b1ocks"50, 50 are provided, .and slid .ontoshaft 30 ',(see-;Fig. l3) which may pivot freely therewithin. These-, bearing blocks 50, 50are also vertically apertured, as at- 52, 52 and the vertical apertures 62,452 register with vertical apertures {54,- 54 :formedthroughthe bridgemember 126. Thus, when, shaftv30with blocks 50, ,SU-thereon is slid ,infunderIthe bracket bridge 26, bolts 56,156 may be passed :through the registering apertures. 62, .54 to secure the shaft (and itszassemblyyonto the base bracket 20. The dimensioning issuch --that theends of shaft 30. are received within the end,receses-22,-24 passing through notches 28,128, while; the .center portion of shaft "30, with the ,bearing blocks thereon,.is in front of the. bridge ."Seat I0is fixed onto shaft .30, sov as to pivot therewith, by means of a, pair of notchedzhinge wing members 60, 60 laterallyapertured, :which straddle blocks 50 and are fixed. ontothe'shaft .so as to turn therewith. Seat I0 is. secured onto thehinge wings as by means of suitablescrews, bolts or otherwise.

Shaft 30, at the 24'-end thereof,.has a cam I0 -.'mounted thereon. Cam I0 ,is roughly "heart .shaped in outline, notched at the .upperportion thereof as at II, and shaft 30 is keyed thereinto near the bottom thereof toturn therewith, the cam being provided with an outwardly extending sleeve I2 which fits .over and about the 24-end of shaft 30, so that as camI0-.is turned,'it will turn shaft 30 along'with it. We provide for the turning of cam I0 and shaft '30 by a linkage 'sys-,

tem operatedby a'foot treadle I I0. An operating pin I4 is mounted on cam I0 below the shaft mounting sleeve I2, said pin 14' projecting out from the cam into recess 24. A short strap'link 18 is secured to;pin I4, and one end of a long link 80 is secured to'the other end of link.I8 by means of a pin-82. The other endv 6| of. link 00is apertured to receive stub shaft I00 therein for rotation therewith; The freeend of? stub shaft -100 ,projects upwardly and out ofthe end of I0. Wh en the treadle is in the up position, cam I0 is in its down position (see Fig. 5) and there is-no contact betweenthe cam and the stop.

Howevenas treadle I I0 is depressed, cam'10 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction, andthe upper marginal edge of the cam .10 bears against roller I26; and. due to the curved outline of the cam edge, stop I20 is forced upwardly against the biasing of spring I26.

thereon, on the side out of which operating pin Cam I0 has mounted M-projects, a pawl or trigger I30, pivotally wise, of the trigger.

secured by pin I32, anda pair of adjusting cam blocks I34,- I36 of each side of pawl ortrigger I30.

Cam block I34 is fixed counter-clockwise of trigger I30, andcam-block I36 is mounted clock- Both blocks. have opposed cammed edges presented towards the trigger, and they may be shiftedback and forth to increase or decrease the are through which the trigger .may pivot about its pin I32. As seen in Fig. 5,

when cam'10 is in its at res position, when seat I0 is within casing, I2, trigger I30 drops by gravity and rests against block 136.. When treadle H0 is depressed, as abovestated, cam I0 turns. about its axis at 30 and is engaged and stoppediby the stop, I20. ,As roller I26 rides along curved cam margin, it dips down into the notched portion II of the heart shaped cam, and

is held between the tension of spring-I28 and trigger I30. Whenthe cam is so locked, treadle I0 is in the dotted line position of;Fig. 2,; and seat I0 is in the down dotted line position of said figure, spaced away-slightly from seat. T. When the seat is in this position, it can freely be returned back into casing I2, there being-no opposition against a clockwise rotation of shaft 30 and cam I0. However; if any weightis applied to seat, I0, and it is further depressed, cam I0 is shifted further co-unter-clockwisely and trig er I30 raises stop I20 which rides over and past the trigger (see Fig. '7) furtherunwinding spring 32 and further tensioning the same.

As soon as the depressing weightis removed from seat I0, the tension of spring 32 rotates shaft 30 clockwisely. Trigger I30 is borne against block I34, and bears against the advancing front I24 of'stop I20 raising sam'e to carry 'coin roller I 26 over the notched portion of the cam and out of engagement therewith permitting shaft 30 to turn freely until seat I0 pivots back into casing .I 2under the retarding action of spring 46 and cam 40, and raising treadle M0 to the full line position in Figs. 1 and 2.

By this arrangement, we provide means for locking the toilet seat in position ready for use after withdrawal from the casing. We eliminate the necessity for manual holding 0f the seat against the bowl, and ready the seat for use merelyby depressing the treadle until the seat is locked. Putting any weight on the seat disengages the lock and permits the seat to swing back into the casing where it is subjected to the beneficial ultra violet light rays from tube It.

As shown in Fig. 9, the end of stub shaft Hill is notched or ridged, as at I02, and treadle H is similarly notched or ridged, so that adjustment can be made of the height of the treadle for any particular installation. The tensionings of springs 32, 4t and I28 may be similarly adjusted tocompensate for local installations.

Having now described our invention, what we desire to secure by Letters Patent and claim is the following:

' 1. In a device of the character described, a housing, a main shaft disposed therein for pivotal movement, a seat on said shaft pivotal therewith, a spring on said shaft to retard pivotal movement of the seat out of the housing, and to acceleratereturn of the seat into the housing and cooperating'means on the shaft and housing to decelerate the rate of seat return into the housing, said cooperating means comprising a spring, on said casing and a cam on the main shaft, pivotal with said shaft, and bearing against the spring with increasing pressure as the seat returns into the casing.

2. In a device of the character described, a

with, a sub-shaft rotatably secured within the casing, a connection between the shafts, means to rotate the sub-shaft from without the casing and to. thereby, rotate the main shaft and 'partially swing the seat out of the easing into shortof-use position, a notched cam on said main shaft rotatable therewith, a stop on said housing projecting inwardly of the casing in line with the cam and engageable by the notch in the cam to secure the seat in the outswung position, a trigger on said cam responsive to pivotal movement of the cam to disengage the stop uponfurther movement of the seat out of the casing into position for use. l

3. A device as in claim 2, in which the trigger is pivotally mounted on the cam and means are provided on the cam to limit the extent of movement of the trigger.

4. A device as in claim 2 in which the trigger is mounted on the cam for swinging movement from a. position rearward 0f the notch to one in advance thereof, and means are provided-on the cam to fix the limits of the trigger movement.

' 5;. A device as in claim 2, in which means are provided to urge the stop into engagement with the cam, and the trigger on the cam disengages the stop upon pivotal movement of the shaft and housing, a main shaft rotatably journalled therewithin, a seat on said main shaft pivotal thereseat from the short-of-use position into position for use.

, HARRY N. McMENIMEN.

HARRY BENDON. 

